Musical instrument



W. F'. REBSAMEN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 22, 1938 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 2, 1940 2,195,521 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT William Frederick Rebsamen, North Little Bock,

Ark., assignor of one-half to Bean Music Company, Little Rock, Ark.

Application March 22,

2 C'laims.y

` This invention relates to a musical instrument of the banjo type, one of the objects being to provide such an instrument designed primarily for use by players accompanying harmonicas, one of 5 the objects being to provide a simple, inexpensive and attractive instrument of this character the playing of which can be learned quickly.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument.

Figure 2 is a side .elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure l, said section being enlarged.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the figures by character of reference I designates a flat board preferably of veneer and which follows the contour of a circle through approximately 270 degrees, the periphery of the board then merging along curved lines into the sides of an elongated neck 2, the head 3 of which is provided with frictionally held keys 4 for engagement with the strings 5 of the instrument. These strings are fastened at their other ends to the board I by the usual or any other preferred means, as shown particularly at 6 and also extend over a bridge 1 located adjacent to a central opening 8 in the board. y

A circular baking pan or the like indicated at 9 has its open face covered by the board I, this pan being concentric with the board and secured thereto at its margin in any suitable manner, as by means of a strong adhesive. The pan cooperates with the board to form the body of the instrument. Extending from the pan is a bar I which is arranged back and longitudinally of the neck 2 and cooperates therewith to stiften the same.

Suitably located frets II, I2, I3 and I4 are provided on the neck 2 and in the instruments thus far produced the fret II has been employed for sounding the chord of C-major while the fret I4 has been employed for sounding the octave.

Secured to the neck 2 adjacent to fret I2 is a resilient loop I which bridges the strings 5. This loop of spring material carries a contact roller I6 which also extends across but the resilient loop on which it is mounted supports 4the roller out of 1938, Serial No. 197,501

contact with the strings 5. `Another resilient loop I1 is secured to the neck 2 and also carries a roller I8 normally spaced from but extending across all of the strings 5. Roller I5 is disposed adjacent to fret I2 while roller I8 is located adjacentkto 5 fret I3. These parts are so arranged that when roller I6 is depressed the resilient loop is sprung out of normal position and the roller is brought into Contact with the strings 5. Thus the dominate chord can be sounded. However when 10 roller I8 is thrust against the strings in a similar manner, the sub-dominate chord can be sounded.

With this arrangement of frets and with the yieldingly supported normally inactive contact members I6 and I8 located as stated, the instru- 15 ment can be used yeffectively for accompanying persons playing harmonicas and the tone produced has been foundto blend satisfactorily with that of such instruments.

Although the parts I6 and I8 have been desig- 20 noted as rollers, it is to be understood that they can be of any desired construction and need not necessarily be mounted for rotation on a supporting means, They merely` constitute chord bars which can be depressed readily by the player whenever either the dominate or the sub-dominate chord is desired. For `the purpose of playing the chord of C-major or its octave, the player merely depresses the strings so as to engage the respective frets II and I4.

What is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument including a pan, an apertured board secured kthereto and having a neck, strings extending along the neck and across the board, frets for engagement by but normally out of contact with the strings, spring loops anchored at their ends in the neck and extending across and normally out of contact with the strings, said strings being extended through the loops and between said loops and the neck, each 40 loop constituting a chord bar positioned adjacent a predetermined fret and movable under pressure against the strings and out of normal position.

2. A musical instrument including a pan, an apertured board secured thereto and having a neck, strings extending along the neck and across the board, frets for engagement by but normally out of contact withl the strings, spring loops anchored at their ends in the neck and extending across and normally out of contact with the strings, said strings being extended through the loops and between said loops and the neck, and a roller yieldingly supported bythe loops and across but out of contact with the strings, said roller being movable against the strings when subjected to sufficient pressure to flex the loops.

WILLIAM FREDERICK REBSAMEN. 

